Disaster Films

The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 The films that I'll be listing in my April postings will not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming.   The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.

Disaster Films

       I'm a real sucker for disaster films.  The more action, the better the disaster experience is for me, but sometimes it's the story that impacts me the most and in those cases I may not need to have the special effects.  I hope I never have to experience any disasters in real life, but I'll gladly take a movie version for entertainment sake.

      My first disaster film was Godzilla in 1955.  I was five at the time and fascinated by the destruction of Tokyo.  Disaster films have always seemed to be a mainstay of the movie industry so I guess I'm not the only one who likes this sort of thing.  In the past few decades the effects have become so much more realistic that it's sometimes almost as though we are seeing the real thing.  For me it becomes easy to let go and suspend disbelief for the disaster movie experience.

Here are a few disaster films that I've enjoyed (no earthquake films--those come tomorrow):

Dante's Peak (1997) -- I thought the opening scenes were very effective, but it became especially exciting to see a devastating volcano occurring right here in the United States.   Decent effects with an exciting story.

Deep Impact (1998) or Armageddon (1998) -- Similar type movies released in the same year, take your pick or if you're like me take 'em both.  Who doesn't want to see a big rock from outer space collide with Earth to create utter havoc?

The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) -- This older film is not particularly big on effects, but is more thoughtful as it focuses on story and acting.  This is one of my favorite films.  It's probably one of the earliest films that addresses the concept of global warming.   I love the ending of this film--so fiftyish.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004) -- A more recent global warming movie and possibly one of Al Gore's favorites.  Heavy on CGI (computer effects) there is a lot of visual fun in this one.   Big floods.  I like to see big floods.

The Poseidon Adventure (1972) --I read the book and saw the movie.  This is the original and not the more recent remake, which I missed but heard was not all that great.   A ship turned upside down and a group of people has to escape by climbing up to the hull.  Lots of cool fun and excitement with a dynamite cast.

Titanic (1997) -- This oft told story hit true mega blockbuster status when it came out and remains a favorite of many.   Very fine special effects.

2012 (2009) -- This is a big favorite of mine.  Totally stupid, outrageous, unrealistic (in concept), and nonsensical.   Disaster movies don't get much better than this in nonstop action and very fine CGI effects.  This is like one of those virtual reality rides at an amusement park.  In fact I wouldn't mind at all taking this ride although a couple of hours of this kind of intensity could be pretty wearying.  Great fun nevertheless.


        Got any favorites in this bunch?   Do you like disaster movies?   What are some you would have included?

Related articles

• 'Independence Day' director on sequel plans
• Japanese disaster films highlight victims' stories
• The most schlocky disaster movies
• 'The World's End': New film from 'Shaun of the Dead' collaborators is opening two months earlier

Books Made Into Movies Blogfest

Click here for list of participants

          Today I'm joining in on the Novel Films Blogfest which is brought to us by Madeleine at Scribble and Edit.  This is one of those types of blog events that I have a difficult time resisting.  Unfortunately my memory is often bad on things like these so my list will be short.  But no matter, I'm here for the fun of it and hope you enjoy it as well.

Here's the gist:

There's a lot of novels, comics and plays that have been made into films and TV dramas,BUT how many of them have you BOTH seen the film/TV drama and read the original book, play or comic story?
 Here's your chance to list the ones you have
To join in the fun:

• Leave a COMMENT below to let us know what you think

• Sign up
 to the linky

• On Monday 1st- Wednesday 3rd August 
POST UP your list of novels, comics and plays that you have BOTH read and seen the film/ TV adaptations

• Then check out the other blog entries on the linkey between 1st - 3rd August and leave comment.

          Since I'm so bad remembering movies and books my list will be relatively small--I'm sure some readers will welcome that.  I'm breaking this down into my favorites, a disappointment, and one that I disliked.  I'll include a couple of notes about each, but no in depth reviews or anything like that.

Here's the list:

David Cronenberg's Crash (1996) based on the novel Crash by J.G. Ballard (1973) --I read an intriguing review of this book in a literary magazine when the book was first released.  I was in college at the time.  Though I looked for this book over the years, I was never able to find a copy.   When I saw that the movie version was being released I was blown away.  Saw it, loved it.  Then I finally found the book version in a rereleased compilation of  three J. G. Ballard works.   The book version lived up to the review and the film did the book justice.

Deliverance (1972) based on the James Dickey novel Deliverance (1970)  --- I saw the film first and then immediately found the book copy and relived the film.    The film was spot on in recreating the novel.  It didn't hurt that James Dickey also wrote the screenplay.  The author even has a small role in the film.

Irwin Allen's The Poseidon Adventure (1972) based on Paul Gallico's The Poseidon Adventure (1969)-- I liked this film so much that  a few years later when I ran across the book version I immediately purchased it.  I had read other books by Gallico and enjoyed his writing.  I thought the film did a pretty good job of capturing the essential adventure of the book although there were some changes.

No Country for Old Men (2007)  based on the Cormac McCarthy novel No Country for Old Men (2005) is one of the best book to film adaptations I've seen.  Watching the movie is like reading the book or vice versa.

Heart of Darkness (1902) is the Joseph Conrad novella upon which one of my favorite films, Apocalypse Now (1979) was based.  The film deviates a great deal from the source material, but stays relatively true to the spirit and theme of Conrad's story.  

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (1922) is a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that inspired  the 2008 film of the same name.   I loved this short story and I really enjoyed the film even though the two of them are different in many ways.

disappointments:

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1976) is a novel by Tom Robbins that I enjoyed immensely.  I was very excited to hear that a film was going to be made based on this book.  The film of the same name was released in 1993 and I was hugely disappointed because it was bad--it was really, really bad.   The best part was a soundtrack by k.d. lang.

Hated this one:

I really disliked Robert James Waller's  1992 best-selling novel Bridges of Madison County.  Clint Eastwood's flim version (1995) is very true to the book, therefore I really disliked this film as well.  I'm a fan of Clint Eastwood and see all of his films, but didn't like this film at all.  Then someone convinced me that I should read the book because it was very good.  They loaned it to me and it was a very quick read.  Still, between book and film I invested way too much time in this treacly trash.  

                 Are any of these your favorites?   Which ones do you think I got wrong?    Is anyone else looking forward to the upcoming film version of J.G. Ballard's Concrete Island?


              The blogfest goes for three days so you still have time to join in.   More information and the linky list can be found HERE.  


               Be sure to come back on Wednesday when my special guest will be Shannon Lawrence from The Warrior Muse. 




.